Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-04-16

SKY. llclt WIS a st'tie Ii Vic III sAiS
trees had never heard before.
The house was dark. He opened the door
quietly and went softly to where Francois
was sleeping on the low bed built against the
wall. He sat down beside him and passed his
hand gently over his face. Then Francois
awoke, and the brothers talked for long
time in low tones.
1T is all right Lhave asked her.
"Andl'
@And she has said 'Yes-Yes;' Keila herself
said Yes am happy, little brother"
Francois face was white in the dimness
"And now what will you dor
Il will have a farm, and you will live with
me-
ENot herea"
aNo, not here; down by the Castor, when
get money enough"
"You win have the money!
NO; it is yours too.n
/" But don't want it. will live here just
the same-only you, Octave, you will not be
here
mo, little brother, you will live with me.
Keila said So"
ibid she say that, Octavel" his voice
trembled
"Yes; Keila said So"
Then there was long silence, and the cry
of the looms came from the lake, through the
open door, across the strip of moonlight.
"Will you come to bed, OctaveF'
mo, not yet"
He rose and closed the door behind him
shutting out the light and walked up and
down the beach until the sun drove the last
laggard star out of the sky.
Aside from the path, near to the Castor, in
the dense forest, was a little oval of the
greenest glass. The flowers never bloomed
there, but lowered about the silver stems of
the poplars that circled the spot, and when
they commenced to die the wind carried
their petals inside the close and strewed them
on the grass. At one side large stone had
thrust itself for foot or so into the space,
and ifs moss covered ledge formed low
bench.
1t was June evening Of the next year.
The darkness had closed in early, and the
poplars were the only trees that answered to
the faint breeze Octave was walking, al
most as quickly as usual, in the direction of
the Castor. The path was familiar to him,
and even in the darkness be stepped over the
logs and avoided the low branches. He was
whistling to himself so softly that the breath
just vibrated on his hips.
As he approached the line of underbrush
that separated the path from the little circle
of grass he heard the sound of voices He
went on, without stacking his pace, until he
came to place where the hazels were less
thick Then he stopped suddenly, as IL be
had stepped against stone wall, and put his
hand to his head.
A voice was saying; ave should not have
come here: we must go away" He could
make no mistake That was Keilas voice.
"No; | have something to say 1t was
when he heard these words that he put his
hand to his head. That was, it must be, he
knew it was Francois.
He stepped off the path on the opposite side
from where they were talking, and leaned
against a young tree, twining his arms
through the low branches The words came
very distinctly to him, mingled with the light
shivering rustic of the poplars.
Il know that You love me, keila,r Francois
was saying
You must not say so.n
"But cannot live without you"
You must. We must think of Octave; he
is SO good"
"Yes. but wish he had never seen you.
Why did you ever tell him you loved him.
Il did love him, Francois-only-only you
should never have come near me, then /
would always have loved him tue best
But now, Keilai'
ooh! Francois, you must not talk to me:
You don't know how Octave loves me-"
And You don't know how / love you"
ayes bIItr think nf uou-
times he has fought for you, and saved your
life"
Yes; it is true. But what can we dor
1--WE can both be true to Octave. Yes,
Francois, must be true to Octave"
why can't you go away with me Gown
the river and never come back!T
"You must go away alone, and never see
me again"
~keila, l cannot leave you"
"You must Do promise me, Francois
Think of poor Octave"
There was long silence The wind had
risen, and all the trees were signing softly.
"Do promise mel"
"Yes, keia, l will promise you; but /
must go away. / can never come back
Only let me see you once again, here, ton
row night, and will promise you anything"
swell, Francois, l will come for little
while. You must not come home with me-
Octave viii come tonight. Good-by"
'-Good-by!7
They came out onto the path and walked
in opposite directions.
Octave seemed to be thinking this words as
they came to him so slowly. 1t could never
be that they were there talking, but Francois
passed quite close to him, and he could have
no doubt.
The words kept recurring as be had heard
them, only the rustic of the trees was still,
and from about his feet rose the smell of
crushed moss and wet leaves. Very near him
were few large white Lilies that shown
through the darkness dunly, like shrouded
stars. He hung there, like stag caught by
the antlers, waiting for death, until the dark
forest pools commenced to brighten with the
dawn and the birds near him began to wake;
then he drew himself up and walked away
He went, by paths through the tangled for
est. toward the lake that WIS living silvered
somewhere in the north. He passed the spots
where they used to set their traps when his
father was alive. He seemed to be back in
that faded time again, and paused often to
wait for the little brother who would always
lag behind.
The lake was reached at last He threw
himself down where group Of poplars and
few naples made shady place, where the
shore was high and the water stretched away
to the island where the wrecked cedars lay
blanched, like the bones of giants, on the
broken shore.
The day wore on Now and then small
shadowy cloud drifted dreamily out of the
west and vanished like vision The winds
touched the water lightly, making ripples
that never reached the shore.
All day long he lay quietly, as if asleep
and the shadows of leaves kept fluttering over
him with countless soothing hands The sun
sank, leaving no color in the sky, and already
the twilight was falling.
The water was very quiet, and seemed to
be heaying toward him as be gazed at it He
folded bis arms, and great calm stole over
him as he looked past the island, where the
lake seemed shoreless. And when it was dark
herose and went back by the track that he had